the_prodigal_sonfandomcom-20200214-history
The Prodigal Son Wikia
The Prodigal Son Wikia Christians inherit much of their religious tradition from 1st Century Judaism yet perpetuate anti-Jewish themes and tropes in the way we read, preach, and teach the text. This page focuses particularly on Jesus' parable about the Prodigal Son as found in Luke 15. Included are tools to understanding the story of the Prodigal Son, the context in which it was given, its potential Anti-Jewish themes and how to avoid them. Scripture Overview of Luke 15:11-32 Luke 15:11-32 Chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke contains three parables told by Jesus to a group of Pharisees, tax collectors, and sinners. Verses 11-32 describe the last parable in the series of three. The parable tells of a father with two sons. The younger requests his portion of his inheritance from his father and then takes it and spends all in a far off country. After losing everything and then enduring a famine, the son returns home and repents to his father who forgives him and throws a celebration for his return. The elder son comes back from a day of work to discover the celebration and refuses to enter the house out of anger. The father comes out and pleads with his elder son to come in and celebrate the return of his brother. Characters in the Story Setting - The parable of the prodigal son comes in chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel as part and parcel of three parables about repentance. This chapter fits into an overall portion of the Gospel that seeks to directly address the Pharisees and issues of the law. As such, the parable comments heavily on Jesus’ anti-Pharasaic language, but that must be understood in context- not out of context as then anti-Judaic. Jesus - In Luke 15:11-32 Jesus acts as narrator and teacher but does not appear in the parable directly. Some scholars have remarked that this passage bears less marks from an editorial hand.1 The assumption then is that this parable would be closer to what Jesus might have said. Audience - Verses 1-2 in Luke 15 cite that Jesus was talking to tax collectors and sinners when the Pharisees began to grumble at his actions. These groups are assumed to be the audience for this parable. Father - In Luke 15:11-32, the famous passage of the Prodigal son has many different theological elements that have been used throughout the ages as pedagogical tools. The role of the Father has been universally seen as representing God and used hermeneutically to distingue grace, forgiveness and the everlasting nature of God. In anti-Judaic, neo-Manichean interpretations, the Father has also been used to juxtapose the dichotomy of Judaism as unforgiving by contrasting him as the embodiment of the New Testament God of love and understanding. A clearer, more nuanced analysis of his role precludes that improper and anti-Judaic hermeneutic. Younger Son - The younger son is characterized by his disrespectful and rude actions but later by his repentance. In the story he asks his father for his inheritance but then leaves and spend all of his inheritance in a far away country. After he spends all of his inheritance, he is left feeding swine due to a local famine. Here he resolves to return home, repent to his father, and work as a hired hand. While he is walking down the road, his father runs out to greet him and forgives his actions. The Younger son has historically been connected with the acceptance of Gentiles into the Church and later emblematic of the Christian church and its emphasis on grace and forgiveness. Elder Son - The elder son is often portrayed as loyal and trustworthy; yet he, like his brother, is disrespectful toward his father. The elder son exaggerates'' ''his grievances, his father’s neglect, and his brother’s transgressions. His stance toward reform and repentance (his brother’s) is opposed to his father’s, as is his emotional response - anger instead of compassion. He is often compared to the Pharisees, by way of familiar caricatures: cold, judgmental, legalistic, rejectionist. The elder son’s ultimate response is not given, but he (and so, in the understanding of many, the Pharisees) is welcome to the joyful celebration of his brother’s return, as fact and as metaphor. Resources for Children Resources for Children's Ministry Resources for Youth Resources for youth Citations 1 Hultgren, Arland J.: the Parables of Jesus: A Commentary. 2002, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 83. Latest activity Photos and videos are a great way to add visuals to your wiki. Find videos about your topic by exploring Wikia's Video Library. Category:Browse